Chapter 1 Flashcards
how ling has psychology as we know it been around
psychology as we know it today is a relatively recent field that spans less than 150 years
Prior to the mid-19th century, much of what we would now understand as psychology was known as what
philosophy, theology, and anatomy
what does the word psychology come from
comes from these early traditions and has its roots in Greek, literally meaning “the study of the psyche, or soul”
what is the modern definition of psychology
define it as the scientific study of both behaviour and mind
Much of the initial thought related to psychology was done in what
philosophy, known as the philosophy of mind
who were some of the first recorded formal thinkers on the topic (philosophy)
Greek philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle
what did Aristotle’s De Anima (“On the Soul,” or Peri Psyches in the original Greek) considers topics such as
the nature of thought, sensation, and imagination, for example
who introduced the term tabula rasa
aristotle
what does tabula rasa mean
“blank slate” to describe the mind, considering it a place of potential for experience to write upon.
Psychology is often considered to be a union of what two fields?
Physiology and philosophy
Aristotle believed the mind was like a wax board upon which our experiences are written. What is the term for this idea?
Tabula rasa
what is the definition of psychology as a whole
the scientific study of both behaviour and mind
is psychology a science
yes and it uses the scientific method to reach its conclusions
scientific method is rooted in a philosophical tradition known as what
empiricism
what is empiricism
is the view that knowledge arises directly from what we observe and experience
this means that psychology (as with all scientific disciplines) is inherently observational in nature
is much of what psychology is interested in is inherently unobservable or observable
unobservable (it is impossible to know what someone is thinking)
is the mind unobservable or observable
mind is entirely unobservable
how does behaviour help scientists to understand an individual
behaviour is used to make inferences about the mind (behaviour is made of actions, words, response times and even brain activity)
what is dualism
philosophical idea that the mind anybody are separate entities
what is dualism also known as
mind-body dualism
many people are intuitive” dualists, what does this mean
believing themselves and others to exist apart from their physical bodies
what is an example of intuitive dualists
afterlife is a place for the soul while the body is on earth
who describes dualism best
René Descartes
what did René Descartes argue
argued that the mind is inherently immaterial. He believed that thought could not be explained in terms of the physical body, although the mind could exert its influence over the body through the pineal gland (a small pinecone-shaped structure located near the center of the brain that is now believed to regulate circadian rhythms)
what concept did René Descartes give us
reflex, which he argued was the body acting without conscious action – without the mind
what did Descartes say was evidence for a mind and thus a soul
contending that while all animal behavior was unconscious reflex, evidence of human consciousness (e.g., “I think, therefore I am”) was evidence for a mind, and thus a soul
what did Descartes do in saying that there was unknowable forces that influenced the body
he removed it from science
If studying the body and its behaviors can provide no insight into the mind, then it was pointless
do most psychologists toda adopt a dualistic mind
Most psychologists today do not adopt a dualistic perspective on the mind for this reason, instead assuming that the mind and the brain are in fact the same
Which of the following is not an example of “behavior” as defined by psychologists?
electrical impulses in the brain
the speed at which a rat navigates a maze
a person’s response to a question
the subjective emotions someone feels
the subjective emotions someone feels
Dualism is the belief that ______________ and body are separate
mind
Because the study of psychology is empirical, the field does which of the following?
arrives at the conclusions through observation and analysis
arrives at conclusions through intuitive understanding
arrives at conclusions through logic and reason alone
cannot arrive at conclusions, as the mind is unknowable
arrives at the conclusions through observation and analysis
what are the 2 primary areas of psychology
basic research, application and clinical work
what is basic research
attempt to understand fundamental principles that govern behaviour and mind
who is basic research typically done on
typically done on healthy people, not clinical populations
what are basic psychologists typically interested in
typically interested in a specific aspect of psychology, such as social interaction, memory, or how neurons interact with one another
what are the specialties under basic research psychology
Abnormal psychology Behavioral genetics cognitive psychology Comparative psychology Developmental psychology Behavioral neuroscience Personality psychology social psychology
what is Abnormal psychology
research is interested in explaining how and why unusual and maladaptive behavior patterns develop by examining thoughts and emotions as well as the underlying biology of mental illness
what is Behavioral genetics
research attempts to explain individual differences in behavior patterns in terms of variation in genetic structure and expression
what is cognitive psychology
is broadly interested in how people process information and includes areas such as attention, perception, memory, problem-solving, language, and thought
what is Comparative psychology
is the study of the behavior of nonhuman animals, and it is often (but not always) interested in making a comparison to human psychology in an effort to discover underlying universals
what is Developmental psychology
studies the way that people develop across the lifespan, including how our thoughts and behaviors change as we age
what is Behavioral neuroscience
(sometimes “cognitive neuroscience” or “neuropsychology”) makes an effort to understand how specific brain regions or activities produce behavior, allowing psychologists to understand the physical underpinnings of their observations
what is Personality psychology
studies individual differences, investigating how and why people act differently based on their enduring characteristics or traits
what is social psychology
is interested in how an individual’s thoughts and actions are influenced by the social environment and the presence of others
Most research in psychology is done with clinical or special populations, such as prisoners
true
false
false
Which of these is basic research?
searching for a cure for depression
attempting to understand the causes of depression
looking for a better anti-depressant drug
testing out a new therapy to combat depression
attempting to understand the causes of depression
what does applied psychology focus on
solving practical problems
what is the goal of applied psychology
goal is to change behavior to solve some practical problem, such as resolving mental health issues, improving workplace efficiency, or improving educational outcomes
Rather than attempt to change behavior, a psychologist who does applied work might do what
solve a problem by devising a way to alter the environment so that it better matches with the behaviors in which people already engage
what are the 2 primary areas of applied psychology
research and practice
what is applied research psychology
done to discover a new or more effective way to solve some specific problem
what is translational research:
the effort is to translate basic findings into practical solutions.
translational research is applied research, but it is necessarily based on an attempt to apply discoveries from basic research to practical problems
what is practiced applied psychology
refers to the actual application of techniques to the problems themselves
often cyclical, with psychologists conducting research about a problem and then applying the research to create a solution
What are the fields of applied psychology
Consumer behavior, educational, forensic and legal, human factors, health, industrial and organizational, political, School
What is consumer behavior
Understanding the decisions consumers make about products and services
What is educational
Improving learning in classrooms and other educational settings
What is forensic and legal
applying psychological principles to features of the legal system
What are human factors
Designing products or processes in ways that improved usefulness or comfort for the people using them
What is health
Improving long-term physical health and healthcare by applying psychological principles
What is industrial and organizational
Helping organizations improve member performance, motivation or other role related outcomes
What is political
Understanding the role of psychology in the political process and the role of politics in psychology
What is school
Using psychology to improve the academic and social experiences of children in school
What is a research example of consumer behavior
Investigating the effectiveness of different kinds of advertisements
What is a practice example of consumer behavior
Designing a product label in ways known to increase consumer interest
What is a research example for educational
Testing how effective online homework is raising understanding
What is a practice example of educational
Designing a textbook to take advantage of research on learning
What is a research example of forensic and legal
Investigating the accuracy of eyewitness memory
What is a practice example of forensic and legal
Testifying about a defendants is competent to stand trial
What is a research example of human factors
Studying wish keyboard layout for helicopter pilot efficiencies as reduces errors
What is a practicing example of human factors
Designing the user interface for computer program with the target audience in mind
Which is the best description of translational research?
Using basic research findings to guide research on applied solutions
tackling only the problem without regard to its underlying mechanisms
Researching only the fundamental causes of a psychological problem
Cycling between applied research and applied practice
Using basic research findings to guide research on applied solutions
What is clinical psychology
defined by its focus on identifying, preventing, and relieving distress or dysfunction that is psychological in origin
What does clinical psychology focus on
mental health and wellness issues
What is the dominant type of psychology
clinical
What type of academic training to clinical psychologist typically have
Clinical psychologists generally have advanced academic training, such as a Ph.D. or Psy.D. (doctor of psychology)
what does A Ph.D. program in clinical psychology do
A Ph.D. program in clinical psychology encourages original research in addition to providing training on how to diagnose and treat mental illness, while a Psy.D. program usually focuses mostly on practice
What is the contrast of a clinical psychologist
psychiatrists
What are psychiatrists
medical doctors that focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness
psychiatrists need to go to med school before completing residency in psychiatry
they can prescribe meds, where as psychologists cannot
clinical psychologists typically work together with psychiatrists or general practitioners to meet the needs of their clients
What is another major career path in clinical psychology
counseling psychologists
What is the difference between clinical psychology and counseling psychology
difference between clinical and counseling psychologists is in terms of the severity of issues they treat
clinical psychologists diagnose and treat more severe forms of mental illness, counseling psychologists focus on helping people deal with ongoing life problems/stressors/dealing with the transition from one life situation to another
What is the primary difference between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists? The ability to treat mental illness The kinds of training they receive Their fields of study The kinds of mental illness they treat
The kinds of training they receive
What is clinical psychology? a form of applied psychology Focused only on the treatment of severe mental illness Practiced primarily by medical doctors A pseudoscientific discipline
a form of applied psychology
According to the above text, which type of degree program focuses primarily on the practice of clinical psychology? Ph.D Ed.D M.D Psy.D
Psy.D
Basic research is to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ as applied research is to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. Causes; problems Problems; solutions Causes; solutions Solutions; causes
Causes; solutions
Translational research can be thought of as the bridge between what and what? Applied research and applied practice Basic research and applied practice Basic research and clinical research Applied research and clinical practice
Basic research and applied practice
Psychologists are only qualified to do either basic or applied research; few do both
true
false
false